DENVER — A Denver man who pleaded guilty to his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021 riots at the U.S. Capitol was sentenced on Tuesday.
The law firm Ballard Spahr confirmed that Daniel Morrissey, 40, was sentenced to 45 days of incarceration and 26 months of probation. He pleaded guilty in February to a misdemeanor count of disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds.
Morrissey, a self-employed writer, was charged by criminal complaint on Oct. 21. He surrendered to law enforcement in Denver on Nov. 4 and faced additional charges on Nov. 8. He pleaded guilty on Feb. 23.
According to an arrest affidavit, a confidential witness, referred to as CW-1, called the FBI tip line on Jan. 18, 2021. CW-1 said they previously worked with Morrissey. CW-1 said another friend of Morrissey, referred to as CW-2, showed CW-1 photos and videos of Morrissey in the crowd of people inside the U.S. Capitol Building on Jan. 6.
CW-2 told agents Morrisey and CW-2 exchanged texts that day. During the exchange, Morrissey sent a selfie that appeared to show him inside the Capitol. He also told CW-2 that “s--t got crazy” and “I nave (sic) it all on video,” according to the affidavit.
Morrissey later texted CW-2 with a video that appeared to show him inside of the Capitol wearing the same hat and sunglasses as he had in the selfie as a crowd loudly chants "U-S-A," the affidavit says.
Investigators confirmed Morrissey was the owner of an AT&T account for the phone number used to text CW-2. They also reviewed additional footage that showed Morrissey in the Capitol Building, according to the affidavit.
The footage showed that Morrissey entered the Capitol through the Rotunda door at 2:27 p.m. He walked into Statuary Hall, then Will Rogers Hallway, where he joined a group pressing against a line of officers, according to court documents. He proceeded to the House Main Door, chanting "Stop the steal," and exited through the Upper House Doors at 2:55 p.m.
According to court documents, Morrissey had a misdemeanor conviction for driving while impaired and was arrested for harassment, specifically "annoying phone calls," and traffic infractions.
Morrissey is one of 15 Coloradans charged in connections with the Jan. 6 riot, and several others either traveled there from Colorado or were arrested in Colorado to face federal charges:
- Jacob Clark of Trinidad was arrested in April 2021 on multiple charges in connection to the Jan. 6 riot. He demanded police officers to stand down during the attack.
- Glen Wes Lee Croy, of Colorado Springs, pleaded guilty to parading, demonstrating or picketing inside the Capitol in August 2021. He was sentenced in November to 90 days of house arrest along with 14 days in a community correctional facility. He called himself an idiot.
- Tyler Earl Ethridge of Colorado Springs was arrested in July 2022 in Denver and faces six federal charges for his participation in the riot. He is a pastor who graduated from Charis Bible College in Woodland Park.
- Robert Gieswein of Woodland Park was arrested and faced multiple charges in January 2021 in connection to the Jan. 6 riot, including assault on an officer "with a spray canister, temporary barrier, and baseball bat," according to his arrest affidavit. He remains in custody.
- Logan Grover of Erie was charged in April 2021 with disruptive conduct in a restricted building, violent entry and disorderly conduct on capitol grounds, and demonstrating in a capitol building. He pleaded guilty in July 2022. He served in the Army Reserve for nearly 10 years and was deployed to Iraq, according to The Denver Post.
- Thomas Patrick Hamner of Peyton was arrested and charged in November 2021. Videos allegedly showed him fighting with Capitol and Metropolitan Police.
- Lisa Ann Homer of Colorado Springs was arrested in November 2021 in Colorado Springs. She faces charges of illegally entering the capitol, disorderly and disruptive conduct on capitol grounds, and parading, demonstrating, or picketing in a capitol building.
- Jennifer Horvath of Colorado Springs was arrested and charged in May 2022 on multiple federal charges. She was located after FBI agents linked her to her boyfriend Glen Wes Lee Croy (listed above), who was also arrested, charged and sentenced for his involvement.
- Klete Keller, an Olympian from Colorado Springs, pleaded guilty to obstructing an official proceeding after storming the U.S. Capitol in September 2021. He faces 21 to 27 months in prison.
- Avery Carter MacCracken of San Miguel County was charged in December 2021 with assaulting officers in the Jan. 6 riot. He was arrested in Norwood on six federal charges. He was captured on videos and in photos fighting with U.S. Capitol Police officers.
- Patrick Montgomery of Douglas County was charged in January 2021 with knowingly entering a restricted building without lawful authority and violent entry and disorderly conduct on Capitol grounds. According to an affidavit for his arrest, federal investigators were tipped off by someone who saw Montgomery in photos from inside the Capitol posted to Facebook.
- Daniel Michael Morrissey was charged in federal court in November 2021 for illegally entering the U.S. Capitol. He pleaded guilty to disorderly and disruptive conduct in a restricted building or grounds and was sentenced to 45 days of incarceration and 26 months of probation in mid-August.
- Hunter Palm of Colorado Springs was arrested in May 2021 after he allegedly entered U.S. Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s office on Jan. 6. He was identified to federal investigators by a family member.
- Jeffrey Sabol of Jefferson County is accused of dragging a police officer down steps to be beaten by an American flag outside the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6. A federal judge denied him bail in April 2021. After the attack, prosecutors said he tried to fly to Switzerland.
- Timothy Williams of Trinidad was charged in June 2021 with multiple federal crimes. FBI agents found Williams on videos of the rioters inside the Capitol that day.
In addition, Rodney Milstreed of Maryland was arrested in Colorado in May 2022, and Lisa Ann Homer of Arizona was arrested in November 2021 in Colorado Springs.
Cleveland Grover Meredith Jr., who lives in North Carolina, said he traveled from Colorado to Washington with an assault rifle for Jan. 6. He was charged in federal court in January 2021 with threatening House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and was sentenced to 28 months in prison in December 2021.
